Discerning the reasons behind the Aam Aadmi Party’s strong debut performance in the recent Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party too has decided to use auto-rickshaws for campaigning.

A week after it claimed that auto-rickshaws supporting the AAP were migrating to the BJP, the party is planning a gathering at Ambedkar Bhawan where auto-rickshaw drivers will pledge formal support for its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

Transport cell head of the BJP, Anand Trivedi, said approximately 5,000 autos will be involved in campaigning for the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections.

“We are waiting for the party to announce the list of Lok Sabha candidates for Delhi and then the auto-rickshaws will roll out. We have taken permission from the election commission to involve 5,000 auto-rickshaws for the campaigning. We are adhering to the norms set by the election commission, whereby it is mandatory to have candidate’s photograph on every hoarding, poster or campaign material. So, along with Modi, we will have to place candidate’s photograph on campaigning material that will be distributed to all the auto-rickshaw drivers,” Trivedi said.

Harish Kumar Khurana, the BJP’s media in-charge who is also involved with auto-rickshaws, said the BJP’s support to the drivers had brought them together in support of Modi.

“They have voluntarily come together in support of Modi as their next prime minister. We are glad to have them campaign for us as they form an intrinsic part of our life,” Khurana said.

According to Trivedi, the autos that were promoting NyayBhumi earlier too have decided to support the BJP this elections.

“The auto-rickshaw drivers did not get the support that was promised to them by the AAP. They are disillusioned. They have decided to campaign for us for free. With 5,000 autos-rickshaws drivers supporting people will make an informed decision this elections,” Khurana said.